Atari XL / XE Prototype Carts and Comparison - David's Midnight Magic & David's Midnight Magic 2

[Video 61]

Let's take a look at some prototype cartridges for Atari XL and Atari XE 8-Bit computers. Here are two of the best pinball games that was managed to be mustered on the Atari 8-Bit computers: David's Midnight Magic and David's Midnight Magic 2.

 

The first video shows you the clumsy joystick routine that really slows the game down. It's a goofy way of pulling down on the joystick to launch the ball, and the only way to get the flippers going is to push the joystick left or right which is really hard with how fast the game is. This was changed in Midnight Magic 2 to use two paddle controllers simultaneously. You can also see the coloring is really terrible in the first game, which usually means its a probably an Apple II Basic port.

 

My friend Steve and I made this video special for Atari.io, Steve is a member here in the Atari.io Forums under the name BlackCatz40. Here is a look at David's Midnight Magic and David's Midnight Magic 2 for the Atari XL/XE Series computers:

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs38SvebEnI

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLcg2GwXayc

[Clint Thompson]

I find it interesting that paddle controllers were used. Am I the only one that thinks the 2600 version is probably better?

[Arenafoot]

Midnight Magic for the 2600 has been hacked to use paddles instead of the standard joysticks.

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/169160-hack-midnight-magic-to-use-paddle-controllers/

 

see post #10 for download

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I find it interesting that paddle controllers were used. Am I the only one that thinks the 2600 version is probably better?

 

No...you're not.  I have to admit that what Lance and Steve have demoed for us sounds nice...but the colors on both, even when the second one was revamped, reminds me too much of the old PC CGA modes.  And I know Atari computers were capable of colors that should have been used instead.  After seeing these I still say that the 2600 Midnight Magic looks much better.  It also appears to have more action than these, sadly.  I don't mind the joystick controls on the 2600 port of this pinball game and have made some impressive scores with that control scheme.  Just goes to show that the 2600 is very capable of doing a task better.  Very cool prototypes but the colors look bland and the table could have used more action.  I'm surprised that they didn't use the same table setup that the 2600 received.